Locked Hearts
by Jamie's Spawn
Summary: A past shrouded in mystery. An unkown future. A forbidden love affair. Can Patrick and Jennifer handle the heat? Some chapters may be rated R due to content. Please read and review.
1. Matchmaker

Locked Hearts – Chapter One

Disclaimer – I don't own them.

A/N: It's a short start, but once the story gets moving the chapters will be longer. This is just the beginning to the winding road that Patrick and Jennifer will travelling. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

Patrick walked down the stairs slowly, the pain in his chest from his mugging growing more searing with every step he took. Reaching the landing, he leaned against the white railing for support before attempting to walk into the living room. Jennifer swung the kitchen door open and found him standing there, immediately rushing to his side.

"Patrick, you really shouldn't be up. You need to rest," she said, swinging his arm over her shoulder and supporting him as they walked into the next room.

"I'm okay, really, I am." Patrick allowed the sweet softness of the couch reach his bare back, relaxing as Jennifer made sure he was comfortable enough.

"Are you sure you're okay? Is there anything I can get for you?" Jennifer asked sincerely, running her hand down Patrick's strong arm.

"Actually I could use a glass of water. If you don't mind, of course."

"No, of course I don't mind. It's the least I can do for you after all you have given me."

She felt as if she was forever in debt to him for saving her baby not once, but twice. She sprung off the couch and made a beeline for the kitchen.

Jennifer wasn't gone long when she came back, a fresh cold glass of sparkling water in hand. Patrick felt his mouth overcome its parchedness even before the crystal glass was in his hand.

As he takes his first savory sip, the doorbell rang and Jennifer bounded across the room to answer it. The opened door reveals a distraught Bonnie standing in front of Mickey, who seemed just as stressed.

"Is Patrick still here?" Bonnie asked impatiently, craning her neck to see past Jennifer.

"Yeah, he's in the living room. Come on in," Jennifer said, taking Bonnie's coat as she flung it off her shoulders in a single fluid motion. Mickey stood back with Jennifer as Bonnie fled to the next room where Patrick sat, sitting his water on the table and watching Bonnie with shock.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Oh my God, honey, what the hell happened to you?" Bonnie shrieked; her previous worries shot down with one look at her wearied son.

Noticing that Jennifer and Mickey were standing in the doorway, he bit back the insinuating remark. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about! My God, Patrick, you look like you were bucked by a bull!" She sat down next to him, taking a closer look at his healing wounds.

"I was just mugged by the guy who stole Jennifer's bonds. He had a few of his thugs with him and took me from behind. I didn't even get a good look at them."

"Dear lord!" Mickey exclaimed, overhearing Patrick's recollection.

Bonnie eyed him skeptically. "Did you call the police?"

"I don't have a case against them. I don't know what they looked like." Patrick stared at her icily, threatening with a single look not to interrogate him further.

"Well, I guess you're right." Bonnie dropped the subject like a hot potato.

A cumbersome silence blanketed them. Mickey softly gripped Jennifer's arm and pulled her aside with the intention of inquiring about her bonds.

"Don't worry Uncle Mickey, they're safe now. I locked them in the fire safe in my bedroom, so unless the intruder manages to get the key no one will be touching those bonds but me."

Bonnie waited avidly for Jennifer and Mickey to leave earshot before divulging her not-so-secret intentions with Patrick.

"So how are things with Mrs. Deveraux?"

Bonnie winked, sending across her message loud and clear.

"I already told you, I'm not going to take advantage of Jennifer," Patrick related. "And I advise you to do the same with Mickey."

"Who said anything about taking advantage of them? You're looking too deep into this. You're friends with Jennifer, right?"

Patrick didn't like where this was headed.

"Yeah…"

"So you play on that until you have her full trust, _then_ you make your move!"

Bonnie was almost jumping ecstatically.

"You disgust me. You're only in it for the money, and I refuse to play your demented game with her mind."

Patrick meant every word of it, too. His feelings for Jennifer went deeper than he ever thought possible. But he would _never_ let Bonnie in the loop on that little detail.

"Oh come on, I see the way you look at her! You _want_ her, and you know it." Patrick was about to speak when she silenced him with the wave of her confident hand. "Don't even deny it!"

Jennifer and Mickey breezed into the room, thankfully missing Bonnie's accusation.

"Oh, Jennifer, just the person I need to talk to!" Bonnie shouted, running to her side. Patrick groaned. They walked to the door as Mickey entered the living room with Patrick.

"Bonnie, what is it?" Jennifer asked expectantly.

"I just wanted to talk to you in private about Patrick."

"If it's about Julie jumping to conclusions and thinking that Patrick was the thief, it's okay. Everything is smoothed out in that area," Jennifer said thankfully.

"That ties in with what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, Patrick has always been like a drifter, so he's never really had a real nice place to call home-."

"He's welcome here as long as he wants, I really don't mind. He's actually been a lot of help lately."

"Really?" Bonnie asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah! He helped me get my wedding ring out of the drain, and not to mention all he has done for me and the baby," Jennifer said, drifting off as she thinks about the man sitting in the next room.

"Oh, well that's a relief," Bonnie said with phony appeasement. "Now I don't have to worry about whether or not he can find a meal or a warm bed to sleep in at night."

Jennifer grinned pleasantly.

"Now that that's settled," Bonnie said, clapping her hands and walking back to Patrick's side. Mickey stood up tiredly.

"Mickey, are you ready to go?" Bonnie asked sweetly, sucking up like she'd never sucked before.

"I'm ready when you are," Mickey said, shifting to face Jennifer. "Make sure to keep those bonds locked up, you hear?"

"Loud and clear, Uncle Mickey," Jennifer said sweetly, hugging him before he left the room to grab up Bonnie's coat.

Bonnie swiveled to face Patrick and whispered, "You remember what I said tonight," so that only the two of them could hear. She slid off the couch onto her booted feet and said her good-byes to both Patrick and Jennifer, sending a wink in Patrick's direction.

"You take it easy. Let this wonderful young lady here take good care of you," she said, wrapping her arm around Jennifer and smiling. Patrick felt a ripple of repugnance run down his spine as Bonnie interlocked her arm with Mickey's and swayed out the front door, sending a wave back to them, which Jennifer returned gratefully.

As the door closed on the world outside, Jennifer contemplated the meaning of her newly uncovered feelings for Patrick. Could she really want more than just a friendship with him? She quickly brushed it off as nothing and went upstairs to see if Abby needed any help with her homework.

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	2. Bonding

Locked Hearts – Chapter Two

A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Another short chapter, but the next one will be longer.

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Patrick relaxed into the cushions once again, relieved that his mother was finally gone and they could pick up the pieces now that the storm front passed. Abby waltzed downstairs and into the living room, a joyous smile spread over her face.

"Hey Patrick!" Her singsong voice wafted sweetly across the room and brought Patrick back from his worries about Bonnie.

"Hey, Abby. What are you up to this late at night?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to see if you needed anything."

Abby sat down next to Patrick on the couch and made herself comfortable.

"Oh, um, no, I don't think I need anything right now. But you're welcome to stay and talk, if that's what you really came down here for," Patrick said, powering through Abby's protective barrier and digging into her true intentions.

"I hate how you know me so well after only meeting me a couple months ago."

Abby smiled, lighting up her beautiful brown eyes. Patrick laughs, ignoring the pain in his smooth chest.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" Patrick asked inquisitively.

"I just wanted to…" Abby averted her gaze to her hands resting on her designer blue jeans. Patrick leaned forward, prodding her to continue. "Why did you try to leave?"

Patrick saw the hurt in her eyes and immediately felt a pang of regret for packing his things and trotting off without so much as a notice as to where he was going.

"I'm really sorry about that, if I hurt you. I'm just not used to staying in one place for that long. But I promise you, I won't leave again."

Abby looked straight into his sincere eyes and knew he truly meant it.

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart," Patrick said, grinning. "Looks like you're stuck with me now."

Abby giggled, relieved. They sat in silence for a few moments, Abby trying to fight the temptation to ask her next question. After a few minutes of wrestling with her mind, she caved.

"So… How do you feel about my mom?"

"What do you mean? Do I have _feelings_ for Jennifer?" Patrick asked nervously. He was stepping on thin ice and he knew it.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you two have been spending so much time together lately and you seem so close now. There must be something there."

Patrick considered this question, reevaluating his emotions towards the one person whom honestly believed in the good in him. Not even Bonnie cared whether or not he was a good person; all she was after was Jennifer's money.

"Plus you helped to get her bonds back, _and_ you saved my little baby brother or sister _twice_," Abby continued, trying to persuade him to realize his true feelings.

Jennifer crept down the stairs, stopping at the doorway to the living room when she overheard Abby and Patrick engaged in a deep conversation. Her attention was enticingly grabbed when she heard her name being spoken.

"You've got a good point there," Patrick said, flustered. He remembered the rush of emotions both times he sat at Jennifer's hospital bed during the baby emergencies. Did he feel a strong connection between the two of them? Absolutely. But would he admit it?

"I don't know what to think right now, actually. I feel that we have formed a bond after everything that happened, but I'm not sure about raw feelings."

Abby was slightly pleased with that answer.

"Okay, so how about in the future? Can you see yourself with her then?"

Abby was on the edge of her softly cushioned seat in anticipation.

"Yeah," he laughed. "I do."

Abby squealed in excitement.

Jennifer was taken aback. Patrick was thinking about the future!

"This is _so_ great!" Abby raised her voice, practically bouncing off the couch in her excitement.

"_Please_ don't mention this to your mom. I just-."

"No problem," Abby cut him off.

"Thank God," Patrick sighed, falling back against the blanket that was tossed over the back of the couch. "I just don't want her to get her hopes up and then find out that I'm not ready for a relationship."

"Yet?" Abby asked, hopeful for the possible fate of her mother and her new best friend.

"Yet," Patrick added to Jennifer's delight. "Hey, isn't it past your bedtime?"

Abby moaned as Patrick grinned wryly.

"I was hoping you wouldn't bring that up," she said scornfully, wanting to remain in the living room and pry more information out of him.

"You had better get off to bed before Jennifer finds you down here," Patrick said coolly, taking the role of the responsible adult.

Abby groaned again, "_All right._ But we are not finished!"

"Finished with what?" Jennifer asked, walking into the room.

"Uh," Patrick stuttered, glancing hopefully at Abby for a convincing response, unaware that Jennifer had already overheard the entire conversation.

"Oh, Patrick was just helping me with some ideas for a paper I have to write for English class," Abby said with pride, obviously having had some practice.

"Right," Patrick agreed. "Let me know if you need any more help with that."

"Will do," Abby said, turning towards the stairs. "I guess I had better get to bed."

"That would be best," Jennifer said, shooing her in that direction. "Night, Abby."

"G'night mom. You too, Patrick," she said, sending a sly wink spiraling in his direction.

Jennifer watched in silence as Abby made her way up the stairs. Once out of earshot, Jennifer turned to Patrick, a grin spread from ear to ear.

"You two must have had a bonding moment tonight. Was that wink supposed to imply something?"

Patrick squirmed in his seat, looking at his white socks for some sort of response that wouldn't give his true intentions away. "Uh… Okay, you caught us," he said, looking her directly in the eye. "We were planning on picking out a gift for you and the baby and tomorrow we were going to come up with some ideas. Just don't let Abby know I blew our secret."

Jennifer laughed with no need to see through his insignificant lie. She would have done the same thing in his shoes. She walked over to the couch and took her seat next to him as he scooted over in order to make sufficient room for her to be comfortable.

"You really don't need to get me anything. After everything you've done for me and the baby, I should be the one repaying _you_."

Patrick's face contorted into a smile again, admiring Jennifer's good-hearted gesture. "You have given me a place to stay and I can raid the refrigerator as often as I want. Seriously, that's all I can ask for. You've been so generous to me and you hardly know me!"

"It's… I just feel like I owe you for getting back my grandmother's bonds, especially since it caused you so much trouble," Jennifer said, pure sincerity ringing from every word she spoke.

"It was no trouble, really. If I could have the chance to do it any differently, believe me, I wouldn't change a thing. As long as you're safe, that's all that matters," Patrick spoke from the heart, probably one of the most pure sentiments he had confided to someone in years.

Jennifer was about to retaliate with another comment when the phone pierced the atmosphere in the living room. Rising to answer it, Jennifer swept her way to the table and swiftly grabbed the phone on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer? It's Julie."

Jennifer turned her head over her shoulder and stole a glance at Patrick, who seemed ready to doze off to dreamland at any given moment.

"Julie, is something wrong?"

"No, everything is just fine here. I'm calling about Bonnie Lockhart," Julie spat Bonnie's name with contempt.

"What about Bonnie?" Jennifer asked, sensing that Julie was up to something again.

"Mickey said he might stop by tonight, so I thought I would call and check up. You know, just to make sure that money hungry queen of cleavage didn't cause any trouble."

"I can assure you Bonnie didn't do anything wrong. Why don't you cool off, you've been ripping into her every chance you get," Jennifer stated, remembering the past quarrels her cousin and her housekeeper had gotten themselves into.

"_Somebody_ needs to keep an eye on that woman to make sure she doesn't try to rip Uncle Mickey off. And I bet her son is no better!"

"Julie! Patrick would _never_ do anything to hurt me! He was the one who got my bonds back, remember?" Jennifer spat defensively, grabbing a nearly asleep Patrick's attention.

"It shouldn't have been too hard either. All he had to do was go wherever he stashed them and hand them back to you."

"Why don't you lay off of him? He hasn't done a single thing wrong since the day he got here! In fact it's just the opposite. If I didn't have Patrick in my life, I would have lost my baby or worse," Jennifer said emotionally. "So until you get your facts straight, don't say a word about him to me ever again." With that she hung up the phone, leaving a shocked Julie hanging on the other end.

Patrick lay back on the couch, trying to do it as quietly as possible and closed his eyes. Jennifer sat the phone back in its cradle, running a hand through her long blonde locks. Twisting around, she laid eyes on a motionless Patrick. Thinking he was asleep, she pulled out the blanket that was strewn across the back of the couch and gently placed it on top of his bare chest, covering the cuts and bruises he received as a result of protecting her.

Standing back and admiring his still form, she sighed to herself. She hadn't felt this way since Jack. Only that feeling she shared with Jack was multiplied by ten when she was around Patrick.

Taking a few last seconds for this picture perfect scene to fully sink into her memory, she went to the doorway and clicked off the lights, leaving Patrick to an undisturbed slumber.


	3. Startling News

Locked Hearts – Chapter Three

Disclaimer – I don't own them.

A/N – Since it's been so long since I've updated this I split it in half. The emotional part that was supposed to be in this chapter is going to be in the next one, so you'll just have to wait a _little_ while longer for that ;) Enjoy!

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Patrick rustled the blanket in his drowsiness, reaching up to rub the sleep from his eyes as he stretched his mouth into a yawn. As he tried to sit up his battle wounds were a painful reminder to take things slow for a while longer.

Carefully sitting up on the couch, he glanced around the room for any signs of Jennifer. The only sound audible was that of eggs sizzling in a skillet. Taking it slow, Patrick got to his feet and followed his nose to the delicious aroma filtering through the kitchen door.

Jennifer turned from her stance over the stove just as Patrick swung the kitchen door open. "Morning!"

Patrick mumbled a tired greeting before taking a seat at the table.

"You really shouldn't be up that much. You obviously need your rest. So," Jennifer said, flipping a full helping of scrambled eggs onto a plate, "I am going to do whatever I can to make you comfortable, starting with a healthy breakfast."

Just as she finished her statement, fresh toast jumped from the depths of the toaster, which were grabbed up as fast as they appeared. In a matter of seconds Jennifer had them buttered and the meal was on its way to Patrick, who was watching intently from his perch at the table.

"You don't need to go through the trouble just for me. I'm fine, really, I don't need to be waited on. Especially with your condition."

He snatched up the fork and knife that were laid on the table for him and dug into his hot breakfast. He cut away a piece of his egg and had it halfway to his mouth when he noticed Jennifer staring at him.

"Something wrong?"

Jennifer was lost in him sitting there, feelings jumping back and forth through her head. She jumped at his sudden question and quickly looked down at her hands, which she then wiped on the bottom of her shirt.

"No, I was just thinking," she said, spinning her wedding ring around her finger. After slowly beginning to realize what she felt for Patrick, her now best friend, she almost felt as if she was betraying Jack.

Patrick pulled a chair out from underneath the table and patted it, calling her to sit down. She trudged over to the chair and plopped herself down, the smell of Patrick's breakfast growing more enticing as she looked from Patrick's face to his meal.

"You can tell me anything," Patrick encouraged her, trying to get her to open up to him. He noticed how secluded she had been making herself lately and didn't want things to stay that way for too long.

"It's…"

She stopped before she could get started and averted her eyes to her hands folded neatly in her lap. She wanted to tell him how she felt, she just couldn't find the right words. She felt awkward, the butterflies fluttering through her stomach faster with every passing second. Patrick leaned in closer, lowering his head in order to get attention.

"It's okay, really, it is. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

Jennifer's head popped back up, her eyes wide.

"But I do! I want to tell you so badly, but I just…" she trailed off, hoping he didn't think any less of her. She felt like a fool.

"When the time is right, you'll know what you need to say."

Patrick took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb in a circle over the back of it, comforting her. To her the time felt right, so why couldn't she come up with anything to say?

"God, you must think I'm an idiot."

Jennifer put her head in her hands, looking at the floor in shame. Patrick moved his chair closer and wrapped one arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a hug.

"Of course I don't. I'd never think that of you," he said, getting her to look up at him. "I think you're an intelligent, sweet, powerful woman, and you deserve a lot more credit than you're giving yourself."

"Really?" she asked, shocked. His comment caused her heart to leap to her throat, touching her deeply. She sat back in her chair, awaiting his response.

"Absolutely!"

Before Patrick could continue, Abby rushed into the kitchen, looking frantic, her eyes opened as wide as possible. She was so worked up she didn't even notice how close her mother and their house guest were sitting.

"You won't believe what happened!"

Jennifer seemed startled, her mind jumping to all the worst possible conclusions. She had been through so much since Jack died, she wasn't sure how much more she could handle without getting herself a one way ticket to the nearest sanitarium. Or worse…

"Abby, what is it? What happened?"

Jennifer's voice was shaky.

"It's all over the news, you have to come see!"

With that, Abby rushed back out, leaving a stirred up Jennifer and Patrick alone in the kitchen. Patrick glanced over at Jennifer, a look on his face asking what just happened. He received a just as confused look from Jennifer, who had scooted to the edge of her seat in anticipation of what Abby's important news story was. They both jumped from their chairs simultaneously, rushing for the swinging door that leads to the living room.

Abby motioned for them to come closer, her eyes glued on the television screen. Jennifer clapped a hand over her mouth as she walked closer, realizing what was playing out on the screen.

Jennifer watched in horror as the video replayed, showing Marlena being gunned down by a Salem PD sharpshooter. She turned on her heels to Patrick, standing right behind her, and buried her face in his chest. She never heard the reporter go on about how the Salem Stalker had finally been brought to justice.

She was still upset about Marlena's descriptive confession to killing Jack, but Marlena was still her friend. The real Marlena, not the psychotic version of her. Patrick pulled her closer, his embrace soothing her rapid breathing. He felt her tears run onto his skin, making him feel worse now that Jennifer was upset.

Abby switched the television off, turning to face Patrick and Jennifer. Patrick noticed Abby giving him a sort of nod, the glint in her eyes returning. That same glint he saw when they were discussing his feelings for Jennifer. He realized what Abby meant and suddenly became very aware of how close he and Jennifer were.

Before he could try to squirm out of the hug to keep Abby quiet, Jennifer pulled back from his chest, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Take me there."

Patrick wasn't quite sure what she meant by "there", but he was more than willing to take her.

"Anywhere you want, I just need to know where."

Jennifer turned back to the television and paused, her hand resting over her heart. When she finally caught her breath, she looked at Abby and then turned back to Patrick.

"There, where she died. I need to find out exactly what happened and why."

Patrick wasn't sure it was such a good idea, but judging from the look of determination sketched across Jennifer's face he knew there was no way of changing her mind.

He sighed, "Okay, I'm not sure this is the right thing to do, but I'll take you. Just try not to get too worked up, okay? It won't be good for the baby."

Jennifer nodded as Patrick ran to get her coat. She couldn't believe another life was taken. Marlena was almost always such a wonderful, respectable woman, but Jennifer couldn't keep herself from thinking the worst about her right now despite what happened to her.

__

'Now she can't hurt anyone else that I love.'

Patrick called for her to follow, bringing her back from a sort of trance. She hadn't even noticed when she took her coat from Patrick, but now she slipped on over her shoulders, slowly following him out the door. She didn't know what she would ever do without him. If the serial killer had ever laid her hands on him…

Jennifer shook these thoughts from her head, telling herself that the killer was gone and no harm could come to Patrick. It was just so unbelievable, she had to see it for herself. She didn't hear a word that was said to her during the ride there; all she could do was try to process this new information.


End file.
